Ready for Desktop as a Service?

Remember when enterprise IT leaders would scoff at the idea of migrating business-critical applications and data into a public cloud? Yes, that really was a thing. Early on, cloud computing was considered too risky by some as it relied heavily on high-throughput and low-latency internet broadband. But over time, nationwide broadband became more dependable and public cloud computing roared to life in almost every aspect of IT.

Well, everywhere except the desktop, that is. However, opinions are quickly changing in this field as well. Desktop as a service (DaaS) has shaped up to be one of the surprising cloud computing trends in 2020 and is expected to explode in 2021. As IT architects begin researching technologies like DaaS to see if it's a good fit for their organization, they often look for key indicators as to whether it's the right time to make a move. Here are six signs that could point to DaaS being the right choice for your business.

1. Broadband is available where needed

First and foremost, IT architects must research whether adequate broadband is available where end users reside. This includes locations such as the corporate office, remote branch locations and work from home settings. While bandwidth and latency are always a concern, understand that DaaS infrastructures have become incredibly efficient and resilient as the technology has evolved. This means that virtual desktop sessions are more resilient to moderate bandwidth and network latency fluctuations. Thus, most terrestrial broadband connections can deliver an excellent virtual desktop experience. If broadband is available where needed, DaaS is possible from a technical perspective.

2. Existing desktops need a refresh

Traditional desktop deployments require frequent hardware refreshes -- especially if applications run directly on the desktop. A hardware refresh can be an expensive budget line item that could potentially be avoided with DaaS. Because all memory utilization and processing computations happen within the DaaS providers cloud as opposed to the desktop, system requirements for local hardware is greatly reduced in this architecture. That means corporate desktop/laptop hardware refreshes can be delayed for months or years without a drop in end-user performance. It also means that when hardware finally does need to be replaced, it can be done so with lower spec’d gear. This translates into lower capital expenditures. For those looking to extend the use of desktop hardware, DaaS might be a great way to accomplish this goal.

3. Shift toward lean IT

Lean IT is a philosophy that focuses on streamlining and optimizing IT processes to save time and money. If one looks at the amount of time and manpower spent supporting traditional desktop workforces, it’s clear that this is a great place to create some efficiencies. By offloading much of the administrative work to a DaaS provider, IT managers can reclaim service desk employee hours and put them to use working on tasks that will provide greater overall business value.

4. Need to deploy desktops in minutes

It’s no secret that the world of business moves faster than ever. In many situations, it becomes necessary to be able to build and deploy business desktops in a matter of minutes. Virtualized desktops can either be deployed by administrators or end users themselves through a self-service portal. The same cannot be said for traditional desktop deployments. If desktop deployment speed is an issue for your IT shop, it may be time to look to DaaS.

5. Seeking flexible payment plans

Business leaders have grown fond of the flexibility that cloud computing offers from a payment perspective. DaaS is no different in this regard. Virtual desktop licenses can be purchased on monthly or annual terms. This allows the IT department to “right size” desktops based on the number of licenses that are truly needed at any given moment.

6. Most apps/data have already been migrated to public clouds

If a business successfully uses public cloud services for delivering apps and data to end-users, the organization already understands and has worked through many of the potential pitfalls that come along with cloud computing. Thus, the transition to DaaS will be easier as many of the technical and procedural kinks have already been worked out.

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